Drummonds devotes considerable time, effort and resources into the decision making process to determine which species, what varieties and seed treatments we market each year. The varieties offered are evaluated in our own replicated trials in addition to the information available from official trials. Varieties are matched with the 'end market' for each cereal species. The entire seed production process is controlled under the Department of Agriculture's Seed Certification Scheme together with the NSAI ISO quality scheme.

Once a variety is selected for production and bacic seed procured, this seed is produced under contract by expierienced seed growers in fields carefully chosen for their fertility and disease and weed free status.

During the growing season the basic seed crops are monitored by an Inspector from the Department of Agriculture, to ensure plant health and purity is maintained. At harvest, careful attention is devoted to segregation and seed quality, a traceability system is used to track the seed as it moves through the drying, cleaning, storage, screening and seed treatment processes.

Once a load of seed coming from the field is sampled and accepted at the intake, it moves to segregated storage before being dried at low temperature to maintain good germination and vigor.Post drying the seed is sampled again to determine germination and purity. At this stage a range of pathology tests are also performed to determine the disease status of the seed, the choice of the seed treatment used is based on this pathology analysis.

The seed is then cleaned, aerated and graded before the appropriate seed treatment is applied, the seed is then analysed again for germination and then goes for packing into 500kg or 50kg bags before dispatch to our customers.

Seed Treatment

All Drummonds cereal seeds are tested for the presence of seed borne diseases, this allows the seedsman to select the appropriate dressing to controll the pathogens present. In addition to basic seed disease control, a number of new treatments have been developed, which are giving exciting results in the field. Using seed treatment as a conduit for pesticides to access the plant, is certain to become a more popular route of applicaion, as only low rates need be applied delivering both economic and environmental advantage.